Story+1999-10-15+Phoenix,+AZ

‘‘(sings ‘Take Me to the River’)That’s right.....that’s where I want to go....I wanna go to the river....the river of life.... the river of love.....the river of hope....the river of sexual healing .....and the river of sanctification.....transformation.....and resurrection....I wanna go there tonight....and I want you to go with me.....and I wanna go with you.....because you can’t get there by yourself....you spend a lot of time running around.....you think that you can.....but in the end.....you find out.....that you can’t get there.....by yourself.....now, listen, I was a young man.......and I stood one night before a dark grove of trees....and I was frightened to pass thru those trees, just like a little child.....frightened to go on to the other side even though I knew that’s where the river of life.....was flowing....and the river of happiness....and of meaningful life.....and of cold beer at a reasonable price.....but I stood there paralyzed.....my legs were like stone..... my arms were like lead.....and I was gonna.....I was gonna give up but then I saw a light in the trees and I stepped into the forest just a little bit and there was a gypsy woman and I told her my problem and she said ‘Son.....Mister Independence.....your problem is.....what you need is.....you need a band’....and so I’d like to introduce tonight the dean of the university of musical perversity.....the Secretary of intelligence....Professor Roy Bittan at the piano.....with me at the riverside.... I wanna introduce the Secretary of friendship and faith, keeper of all that is righteous on E Street, the king of the badabing.....Steve Van Zandt on the guitar.....brother Steve standing with me at the riverside.....I want to introduce the foundation of the E Street nation, southern man, Mr.Garry W.Tallent on the bass.....standing with me at the riverside..... the Minister of the big beat.....the Secretary of syncopation, star of Late Night Television.... Mighty Max Weinberg on the drums....standing with me at the riverside.....I want to introduce the Secretary of heart and spirit, godfather of the guitar, Mr.Nils Lofgren ....with me at the riverside.....I want to introduce to you a brother man.....Minister of mystery, Secretary of all that is unfathomable on E Street, I mean life in general, Phantom Dan Federici on the organ ....you can’t get there without love in your life, I wanna say that brunettes are fine, blondes are fun but when it comes to getting a serious job done, it takes a (crowd: ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I’m talking ‘bout a (crowd: ‘Red Headed Woman’) yeah, man, I’m looking for a (crowd: ‘Red Headed Woman’) I got to find myself a (crowd: ‘Red Headed Woman’) yeah, now I’m looking for a (crowd: ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I’ve got to have a (crowd: ‘Red Headed Woman’)....the First Lady of love, Secretary of sweet harmony, on guitar and vocals, Miss Patti Scialfa (cheers)....standing with me at the riverside....but there was still....something missing.....something important.....something essential....something fundamental.....something very big.....I want to introduce you now the Minister of soul, the Secretary of brotherhood, emperor of E Street, do I have to say his name ?....’
 * 15.10.99 Phoenix, AZ, middle of ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’:**

‘‘Thanks, gonna do this for the folks from the Bridge that are with us tonight....you see them out in the lobby and the Bridge is uh.....non-profit organization.....that’s been serving homeless families here in.....Phoenix Valley since 1989....we’re to have (?).....the economy is showing you people that the economy is not reaching to.... the Bridge is there....to help families that need emotional.....and financial self-sufficiency, they’re worth your.....your time and your efforts, please check them out, they’re called the Bridge and this is for the folks from.....them tonight....”
 * 15.10.99 Phoenix, AZ, intro to ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’:**

‘‘Phoenix, Arizona….I said Phoenix, Arizona…..I have been here…..but everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve seen people lost in the wilderness….I´ve seen people lost and wandering in the desert…..I´ve seen people lost in bitterness….lost in faithlessness, but tonight we’re here on a search-and-rescue mission, that´s right, if you’ve been downhearted, disspirited, disgusted, dispossessed, analyzed, downsized, stigmatised, Pokemonized, retropsychedelicized....I´m here tonight to re-educate, to resuscitate, to regenerate, to reconfiscate, to reindoctrinate, to resexualate, to rededicate, to reliberate you with the power, the promise, the glory, the majesty, the mystery….with the ministry of rock and roll !….that´s right…..that´s right…..yes, that´s right….yes, that´s right…..now, unlike my competitors, I will not, I shall not, I cannot promise you life everlasting….but I can promise you life….right now !….and all you´ve got to do is raise your hand and say ‘I’….”
 * 15.10.99 Phoenix, AZ, middle of ‘Light of Day’ **

‘‘Got a close friend of mine lives here in.....here in Phoenix.....gonna have him come up and sing a song with us.....he´s uh.....in my opinion, just one of the greatest living soul singers of all time......Mr.Sam Moore, the original soul man......come on, Sam.....the teacher, the teacher.....”
 * 15.10.99 Phoenix, AZ, intro to ‘Soul Man’:**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//